Ponty Brings New Dimension To Return To Forever

The trailblazing jazz fusion group Return To Forever went some 15 years between a brief reunion tour and the 2008 reunion of the classic lineup of keyboardist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Lenny White and guitarist Al Di Meola.

Fans have to be pleased to see Return To Forever back on tour this summer. But this is Return To Forever in a very new setting. Di Meola isn't involved, and instead Corea, Clarke and White are joined by violinist Jean Luc Ponty (a member of John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra) and guitarist Frank Gambale.

Corea has a long association with Gambale (who was part of his Elektric Band), but touring now with Ponty fulfills a long-running wish to play with the violinist.

"There was an idea we threw around years ago of putting together a really fun group with me, Stanley, Lenny, Jean Luc and John McLaughlin and combining the two bands," Corea told "Weekly Chatter." "It's something that might even happen some day That sound that he (Ponty) created, that front line sound that he created with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, was always something I loved."

Quick Hits

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